Break out the calamine lotion, sharpen your fingernails, be prepared to itch. Heavy rainfall this spring has created an ideal environment for mosquitoes to breed.

Better yet, do everything possible to avoid the pesky little biters that may do more than cause uncomfortable rashes and annoying itches. They can be deadly.

“Mosquito populations are booming throughout the state and will likely not go away anytime soon after all our rains and flooding,” said Dr. Mike Merchant, AgriLife Extension urban entomologist in Dallas. “Not all of the mosquitoes swarming us right now are likely to carry disease, but West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes are beginning to show up in traps.”

AgriLife Extension Service entomologists are offering tips on how Texans can help slow mosquito breeding in backyards and protect from being bitten.